Spanish racing weekend for Team NetApp-Endura tour riders
Starting tomorrow, two further Spanish races are scheduled for the Team NetApp-Endura riders, immediately following on from the Vuelta a Andalucia. The Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia is the first race beginning on Saturday. A tour that has been cut from its original length of five days down to just one. The race covers 180 kilometers with both flat and mountainous sections starting in Murcia and finishing in a mediaeval fortress in Lorca.
“The route in Murcia is completely new and should not be underestimated. The last third includes a first-grade mountainous section that will prove a stern test for the riders. The so-called “Marco Pantani Peak“ is at an altitude of 1,211 meters. The slightly rising gradient at the finish with its cobbled surface is reminiscent of the classic Belgian races more than Spain”, Alex Sans Vega explained.
“As always, we will try to shape the race and ride aggressively. The long, steep climb could suit Jose Mendes. He will be added to the team that started in Andalusia. The gently rising gradient at the finish could, on the other hand, suit Bartosz Huzarski”, Sans Vega continued.
On Sunday, the Clasica de Almeria is the next race the riders face. The route starts in Roquetas de Mar running through a relatively hilly terrain to end after 185.6 kilometers in Almeria.
“The route in Almeria has been the same for years. Here the wind plays a key role in terms of the race strategy. If it there is relatively little wind, the odds are that the race will be decided in a mass sprint. Even if the pack is split after 120 kilometers when the second-grade mountainous section (Alto de Lucainena) has to be mastered, there is still sufficient time to the finish for the pack to come back together. In this way, Daniel Schorn was able to finish in the top 10 last year. Should it however be very windy, the pack will find it difficult to catch up over the remaining kilometers and a largish group is likely to be left to fight for victory”, Alex Sans Vega explained.
Website Vuelta Ciclista Murcia
Line-Up:
Bartosz Huzarski, Cesare Benedetti, Daniel Schorn, David de la Cruz, Iker Camano, Jan Barta, Leo Koenig, Jose Mendes